


(Not A) Christmas Angel

by heartsdesire456



Series: 25 Days of Fandom [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Minor Injuries, Paramedic Bucky, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 21:58:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2748620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve <i>really</i> thought he could get a Christmas tree up a five story walk-up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Not A) Christmas Angel

**Author's Note:**

> Yes another pre-serum Stucky. DON'T JUDGE ME!

Steve knew he was going to regret his life choices before he even started up the stairs with his Christmas tree. Natasha hadn’t believed him when he said, “I’m going to go get a real tree and put it in my studio if it kills me.”… He really hoped it didn’t kill him.

Steve had a large art studio that he loved. When he lost his second job at the art store, he had to choose between his studio and his actual apartment. He chose the studio. It wasn’t really any sort of place to live, it was basically one big room with a bathroom and a kitchenette. He didn’t have a stove or anything, but his refrigerator was big enough for one (admittedly small) person like him and between his toaster oven and his microwave, he was set for cooking things. He’d had a futon in the studio for when he needed to crash there after working for too long, but now it was constantly flattened out into a bed. 

The best part though, is that the studio had high ceilings and a lot of open space, and unlike his shoebox of an apartment, he could actually fit a _Christmas tree_ there. He just hadn’t thought about the fact that it was on the fifth floor of a building with no elevator until he had already had Sam drop him off at the door with his awesome new tree and told him not to worry, Steve didn’t need any help. 

Steve might have needed the help.

He looked at the staircase and hefted the tree. It was wrapped tight in netting so it was skinny enough that he could wrap his arms around it. His knees shook some as he put it onto his shoulder and he swayed a little before getting balance. He couldn’t hold onto the handrail and hold the tree at the same time, but he had high hopes things would go well.

He started up the stairs and for a minute, everything was fine. It was only when he got to the very top of the first flight of stairs and started to make the turn that the weight of the tree shifted. “Oh no,” he muttered just in time for him to scramble to grab the tree…

And fall backwards. 

Steve didn’t even feel the bouncing down the stairs because on the first hit, there was a blinding flash of pain and everything went black.

~

“Steve? Steven? Mr. Rogers?” Steve whimpered as the sound hurt his ears. “Hey Stevie?”

“‘S not m’name,” he muttered on reflex.

“Yeah, you’re right, he’s coming around,” the same voice said. “Not a Stevie then? Mr. Rogers?”

“Dun wear a shoes inside,” Steve mumbled and the husky chuckle he got in reply was oddly comforting.

“Open your eyes then, Sir.” Steve managed to peek through his lashes, hissing at the light, only to have a shadow fall over his face. He opened his eyes further and blinked a few times until the face hovering over his became clear. 

And whoever he was, he was _gorgeous_. _I must be dead if the most handsome man I’ve ever seen is looking me in the eyes,_ Steve thought.

Or at least he thought he it was just a thought, until the cute guy laughed and smirked down at him. “Pretty sure my ugly mug isn’t the most handsome you’ve ever seen, and you’re definitely not dead, Pal,” the man spoke. “Steven? Or Steve?”

“Steve,” Steve muttered absently, too caught up in how gorgeous the random hot guy leaning over him was. His eyes were like sapphires they were so blue. 

The guy smiled. “Well Steve, I’ll be your paramedic this evening,” he joked. “Can you answer some questions for me?” he asked, and it was only then that Steve realized that the rocking and swaying wasn’t dizziness. He looked around some and, sure enough, he was in an ambulance. 

“Aw crap,” Steve muttered. “Not again.”

Hot Paramedic raised an eyebrow. “Again? How often do you end up in ambulances?”

Steve grimaced, turning his head some. “I lost count around fifteen,” he replied sheepishly. “I’ve got NCS so I pass out a lot.”

“Alright, Steve,” the guy said, making a note. “NCS as in Neurocardiogenic syncope?” Steve nodded. “Is that what happened tonight?”

“No,” Steve said, and he could feel his cheeks heating up.

The paramedic looked at him curiously. “Wanna tell me what happened? I need to know what’s wrong so I can tell the hospital what to expect.”

Steve groaned. “Do you have to?” he whined.

The paramedic grinned. “Does it have anything to do with the Christmas tree we found on top of you?” Steve sighed, slapping a hand over his face, only to gasp in pain and have his wrist grabbed. “Hey, head injury!” he said, pushing Steve’s arm back down.

Steve whimpered. “How bad is it?”

“Not bad,” the guy comforted. Steve gave him a look and he grinned in amusement. “No really, you’re not gonna die or anything. Just a big lump. But you lost consciousness so you know the drill.”

“Brain injury tests. Yep,” Steve agreed. He gave the hot paramedic a small smile. “I really thought I could carry the tree up the stairs myself.” He rolled his eyes. “On a scale of one to kill me now, how does this rank on you ‘stupid people’ scale?”

Steve’s response was a bark of laughter. “Oh man, not even a one. Just this morning we had a lady who burned her hand because she thought she could cook a turkey by sticking her hand in it and holding it over a fire.” 

Steve couldn’t help but laugh at that, blushing when the hot paramedic smirked down at him. “What’s your name?” Steve asked and the guy cursed.

“Shit, sorry, I’m supposed to tell you that to start with,” he said, looking like he felt stupid. “I’m James, but you can call me Bucky.”

“Bucky?” Steve asked, and Bucky nodded, pouty lips pulling into a smile.

“James is boring, don’t you think?”

Steve shrugged. “My name’s _Steve_ so…”

“Ha, yeah, but I think you should be Stevie,” Bucky said and Steve glowered playfully. “No really, you look like a Stevie. Too pretty to be a ‘Steve’,” he said, eyes twinkling with a hint of flirtation.

Steve actually gaped for a minute. “Uh, I think I’m hallucinating. Must’ve hit my head harder than I thought,” Steve said. He was at least 99% sure that Bucky, The Hot Paramedic wasn’t really flirting with him.

Bucky moved and grabbed something off the wall beside him. “Alright, c’mere, lemme check your pupils again,” he said, and Steve blushed his way through the rest of the trip to the hospital.

~

After several hours, most of which were spent waiting, Steve was released with no brain damage, just a bump on the head. It didn’t even bleed, he just has a big, ugly knot on his head. As he walked out, wondering if he should risk the train alone with a head injury or just fork over the cash and get a cab, a voice called out to him. 

“Hey Stevie!” Steve turned around and just as the doors started to slide shut behind him, a man with dark hair ducked through. When he looked up, Steve was shocked to see that Bucky the Paramedic was the one wearing tight jeans and a leather jacket. He gave Steve a grin. “You gonna make it?” he teased.

Steve chuckled. “I’m assuming the fact they let me go is a good idea I’ll be fine.” He narrowed his eyes playfully. “Also, I told you, it’s not ‘Stevie’.”

Bucky shrugged, hands moving in the pockets of his jacket. “I think you’re Stevie. It’s almost as cute as you are.”

Steve blushed. “Are you mocking me for calling you handsome when I woke up?” he demanded.

Bucky walked closer, grinning easily. “What? I can’t just think you’re cute?” he asked, looking down at Steve as he got closer.

“Yeah, well… people don’t… do that,” Steve stuttered, shoulders hunched a little.

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? Well sucks for them,” he said. He nodded to the left. “I’m off, obviously. Wanna go get something to eat? Make sure you don’t faint again on the way home?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “I fell down the stairs!”

“Yeah, and it would be really crappy if you did it again,” Bucky said. He wiggled his eyebrows. “Next time around the paramedic might be hotter than me and I might have to fight ‘em for the chance to take you out.”

Steve bit his lip, ducking his head bashfully. “Is that what you’re asking me? Out on a date?”

“You bet your cute little ass I am,” Bucky said boisterously. “C’mon, Stevie,” he all but purred, leaning in closer. “I just wanna buy a handsome fella dinner.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I won’t even try to kiss ya or anything.”

Steve chuckled, glancing up through his eyelashes. “Yeah?”

Bucky smirked. “Well, not at first, but gimme some slack, a face as nice as yours is hard to resist.”

Steve couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head. “There’s no way a guy that looks like you wants to go out with a guy like me,” he said, gesturing between Bucky’s height, broad shoulders, gorgeous face, and long, muscular legs and his own short, scrawny frame. 

Bucky gave him a small smile, licking his lips as he locked eyes with Steve. “You gonna at least gimme a chance to prove you wrong?” he asked in a soft tone.

Steve looked him in the eyes for a long moment before smiling shyly. “Yeah, okay.”

Bucky beamed. “Yes!” he cried, throwing his arms up in victory, making an all-out scene. “C’mon, Stevie,” he said, hooking his arm around Steve’s shoulders. “I got to prove you wrong, Sweetheart, and I only got one shot to do it.”

Steve chuckled, shaking his head. “Alright, alright,” he said. “Don’t get too smug.” Bucky just grinned at him as he led Steve along the sidewalk.   
Steve couldn’t help but think that maybe for once a trip to the emergency room wasn’t _that_ bad.


End file.
